Use of computers for both personal and business purposes requires the ability to easily and reliably store information. Many computer systems include a variety of input/output devices and a corresponding variety of information storage media. Commercially-available computer programs, and proprietary software, often display all the available input/output devices, and/or all the available information storage media, as potential write targets even though not all those available input/output devices can write information, and even though not all those available information storage media are writeable. For example, Read Only Memory (“ROM”) devices cannot write information, and ROM media are not writeable. Nevertheless, such ROM devices/media are often presented as write targets. Furthermore, commercially-available computer programs, and proprietary software, often display all the available input/output devices as potential read targets even though not all those available input/output devices have information storage media mounted therein.
Many computer systems include differing types of writeable input/output devices and differing types of writeable information storage media. Thus, even if an allocated input/output device is capable of reading/writing information, and even if a designated information storage medium is writeable, the allocated device may not be able to read and/or write information from and/or to the designated information storage medium. For example, a writeable optical storage device cannot write information to a magnetic tape. As a general rule, the larger the overall size of the computer system, the more likely that system will include differing information storage devices/media. For example, an automated data storage and retrieval system may include optical information storage media/devices, magnetic information storage media/devices, and/or electronic information storage media/devices.
Automated media storage libraries are known for providing cost effective access to large quantities of stored media. Generally, media storage libraries include a large number of storage slots on which are stored portable data storage media. The typical portable data storage media is a tape cartridge, an optical cartridge, a disk cartridge, electronic storage media, and the like. By electronic storage media, Applicants mean a device such as a PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash PROM, and the like.
One (or more) accessors typically accesses the data storage media from the storage slots and delivers the accessed media to an input/output device for reading and/or writing data on the accessed media. Suitable electronics operate the accessor(s) and operate the input/output device(s) to provide information to, and/or to receive information from, an attached on-line host computer system.
What is needed is an apparatus and method to determine, store, access, and use, the write capability and/or the read capability of one or more input/output devices, one or more information storage media, and optionally, combinations thereof, disposed in a computer system. Such a computer system may comprise a personal computer, a mainframe computer, a work station, a data storage and retrieval system, and combinations thereof. Such a method can be implemented in commercially-available computer programs, in proprietary software, in information storage management programs, and the like.